1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to heat exchangers, and particularly to tubesheets wherein a bundle of tubes are arranged so that heat can be transferred to or from the surrounding medium.
2. Prior Art
In devices designed to exchange heat between two fluids, wherein one of the fluids is caused to flow through a bundle of tubes surrounded by the second fluid, the tubesheets space and support the tubes. The tubesheet (or tubesheets) may be subject to fatigue failure caused by temperature changes of the fluids. Rapid changes in the tubeside fluid temperature have been demonstrated to cause large thermal stresses at the junction of the tube plate and tubesheet rim caused by the radial restraint of the tubesheet rim. These alternating thermal stresses can result in a fatigue failure and malfunction of the heat exchanger.